I'm done lurking and would like advice

[chetjester]

It's time for me to stop lurking and ask the questions. I've been reading posts for quite a few months and don't want to stay a stranger any longer. Hope all y'all have time to help me out here. And, thanks for all the great advice you've been giving everybody.

I'm 54, a network administrator, single, no major bills, great MVR, Class A CDL with Haz, Doubles and Tanks (I'm an overachiever) and my biggest worry is who is going to take care of my cats while I'm on the road. I've driven 18 wheelers OTR and local and assume I can
drive a straight. At least I'm confident that backing is easier.

I'm willing to go team to learn with the goal to go solo once I've learned the trade well enough to be confident I can earn money for the truck. Home time is not an issue.

Questions:
1.) I live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Where should I expect to spend my time and is there any chance I will ever drive through there or is my time off going to be based on my willingness to drive all the way home from BFE? One of my daughters lives in Cary, NC. I bet I'll see her more often than my daughter in Texas.

2.) I'm ready to start in April. Is this a good time?

3.) What can I can offer a fleet owner that will make him want to hire me? Do I stress age and maturity? The willingness to work my tail off for him? No demands to get home every 2 weeks? In other words, what is the best selling point?

4.) I can survive on $24K take-home a year, but don't want to survive. I want to thrive. No matter how stupid I am the first year working, do you think this is unreasonable.

5.) I'll have several thousand in the bank when I leave my present company. I won't be broke; I won't be rich. I've read that this is a good thing. Is this another selling point?

6.) I don't want to drive a van. If I'm going to spend that much time on the road, I need my vehicle to be driver friendly when it comes to my life style. Will this restrict my choices?

7.) Should I set up orientation with several expediting companies to pre-qualify or should I wait until I find somebody willing to hire me?

8.) What is the best approach to let companies know I want to drive? Contact expeditors for lists of fleet owners looking for drivers? Post a classified here? Should I start offering myself to owners now in anticipation of April?

9.) Is orientation at an expediting company similar to OTR orientation, such as Swift or USA Truck? The usual drug test and physical? Or, should I have my own D.O.T. medical card?

My email address is [email protected] if I've piqued the curiosity of some of you owners and you want to reach me.

These are my questions for now. If you have time, please try to lead me in the right direction. Be honest. It will prepare me better.

Thanks.

 

[D Green]

I can't answer your questions, but wil give you an observation.

On my frequent trips to OK, I usually see several expediter trucks in the T/A north of Denton. Most are usually LEA & Panther. I see these two companies quite frequently in the Laredo area, also. So, it would seem that these companies *might* get you home on a regular schedule.

FWIW

Dennis

 

[chetjester]

That's good to know. Around Christmas, there was a FedEx Custom straight parked across from my apartments. There wasn't anybody in the truck, or I would have had a lot of questions for him.

Just today, I saw a Panther straight on I-20 in Arlington, TX headed east.

So, there may be more traffic in this area than I realized.

Thanks for the observation.

 

[dieseldiva]

>It's time for me to stop lurking and ask the questions.
>I've been reading posts for quite a few months and don't
>want to stay a stranger any longer. Hope all y'all have
>time to help me out here. And, thanks for all the great
>advice you've been giving everybody.

chet, glad that you have finnally come out of the shadows and started posting on the forums. you will find that most everyone here will be willing to answer any questions that you have.

>I'm 54, a network administrator, single, no major bills,
>great MVR, Class A CDL with Haz, Doubles and Tanks (I'm an
>overachiever) and my biggest worry is who is going to take
>care of my cats while I'm on the road. I've driven 18
>wheelers OTR and local and assume I can
>drive a straight. At least I'm confident that backing is
>easier.

yes the backing will be easier, but after seeing how i have positioned myself at some of these docks, i wonder why they call them straight trucks.

>I'm willing to go team to learn with the goal to go solo
>once I've learned the trade well enough to be confident I
>can earn money for the truck. Home time is not an issue.
>
>Questions:
>1.) I live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Where should I
>expect to spend my time and is there any chance I will ever
>drive through there or is my time off going to be based on
>my willingness to drive all the way home from BFE? One of
>my daughters lives in Cary, NC. I bet I'll see her more
>often than my daughter in Texas.

yes you will drive through there, and occasionnally pick-up and deliver there.you may have to drive home from BFE to be able to get home during specific time frames.yes i do believe that you will see the daughter in NC more often than the one in TX.

>2.) I'm ready to start in April. Is this a good time?

yes april is a good time to start.

>3.) What can I can offer a fleet owner that will make him
>want to hire me? Do I stress age and maturity? The
>willingness to work my tail off for him? No demands to get
>home every 2 weeks? In other words, what is the best
>selling point?

i would think that your OTR experience is your best selling point,but the other 3 you metioned are good points also.

>4.) I can survive on $24K take-home a year, but don't want
>to survive. I want to thrive. No matter how stupid I am
>the first year working, do you think this is unreasonable.

no, the figure you mentioned is not unreasonable.

>5.) I'll have several thousand in the bank when I leave my
>present company. I won't be broke; I won't be rich. I've
>read that this is a good thing. Is this another selling
>point?

if you are trying to get a job driving for an owner rather than owning your own truck,money that you have or dont have should not be an issue.

>6.) I don't want to drive a van. If I'm going to spend that
>much time on the road, I need my vehicle to be driver
>friendly when it comes to my life style. Will this restrict
>my choices?

no this will not restrict your choices, as "most" expediter straight trucks are equipped very well.(fridge, microwave, t.v. etc.)

>7.) Should I set up orientation with several expediting
>companies to pre-qualify or should I wait until I find
>somebody willing to hire me?

if it were me,i would find someone that is willing to hire you first.that way you will save alot of time and expense of going to orientations for companies that you wouldnt be working for.

>8.) What is the best approach to let companies know I want
>to drive? Contact expeditors for lists of fleet owners
>looking for drivers? Post a classified here? Should I
>start offering myself to owners now in anticipation of
>April?

yes to all of these.

>9.) Is orientation at an expediting company similar to OTR
>orientation, such as Swift or USA Truck? The usual drug
>test and physical? Or, should I have my own D.O.T. medical
>card?

i think that all orientations are basically the same,with the companies checking out your driving records and work experiences and acquainting you with their paperwork and policies.and yes you will have to have a physical and take a drug test. depending on which company you end up driving for, this may have to be completed before you show up for orientation.

>My email address is [email protected] if I've piqued the
>curiosity of some of you owners and you want to reach me.
>
>These are my questions for now. If you have time, please
>try to lead me in the right direction. Be honest. It will
>prepare me better.

i hope that i have helped you some chet, i am sure that others will respond as well. dont be a stranger,if you have questions ask them. more often than not, someone will have the answer for you. GOOD LUCK !! DD.



P.S.,i dont know what to tell you about what to do about your cats, does your daughter in TX like cats? We travel with our 4 small dogs, maybe you'll find a fleet owner that will allow your cats to go with you.

Posted by Doggie Daddy under Dieseldiva's log in.

 

[RichM]

Chet, I sent you a private E Mail about your questions as I made some observations about some of the Expediting Companies that are out there and don!t want to get any one poed at EO.

 

[redytrk]

When I first went on the road I too was concerned what to do about my cat.I had been told years before not to give him a steady diet of dry food.Well i decided to give one of those gravity feeders a try. I left home w/a two wk supply loaded up,and plenty of water,also in a graviter feeder.after several weeks of this,I noticed he was ill and had a feever.Sure enough the vet said his urinary track had blocked,prob due to all that dry food.sadly I elected to have him put to sleep.I run into many drivers on the road traveling with pets hopefully they will come forth with good tips.One thing I do know if you plan to go with a co that goes to canada,you must carry all imunization papers and be prepared to deal with customs.BEST OF LUCK.

 

[chetjester]

I'm sorry to hear about your cat. I have left mine for a week, but never longer than that. I would hire a neighbor kid to avoid that problem.

Sounds like the cats are going to be staying in Texas. That's not a problem. My daughter lives with my ex-girlfriend and I know a little cash every month will convince the two of them to adopt.

I didn't know about the cross-border issues with animals. I haven't seen anybody mention that. Thanks so much.

 

[vernon946]

I'll offer my 2 cents here too.

Hope your prior driving experience is recent. If so, you might be able to qualify with one of the companies out here and sign on to drive someone's truck as a solo. You'll appreciate the difference in comfort levels.

Another advantage if you go solo is the cats. As far as I know every expediting company out here allows pets. You may have to negotiate a security deposit with the owner though. We spent a weekend in a Petro next to a lady with 5 cats, so cats are do-able. We travel with 3 dog furbabies, and yes, you'll have to have all their shots current along with the documentation.

You mentioned getting back to TX on a regular basis. Not likely to happen, although most companies have work in and out of the Dallas area. Sometimes we get thru there twice a month and sometimes every two months. We are with FedEx CC and would say this is the easiest company to start with and learn the business. We've been learning since '97.

Vernon